


From the Four Corners of Eos

by agentfruitsnack



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F/M, Slight Canon Divergence, a few close calls, dark themes, descriptions of violence, i can't tag, little bit of Promptis if you're lookin for it, no beta we die like men, probably predictable plot twists, slow/moderate burn, this is gonna be pretty long
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:46:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26716240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentfruitsnack/pseuds/agentfruitsnack
Summary: Ann Ka'yamar is the first Crownsguard to ever have difficulty utilizing the power of Kings. Despite her odd predicament, the Oracle gives her a blessing, and the crown prince Noctis invites her into his royal retinue. The group of five travel across Eos to reclaim their crystal, their ring, and their city, but little do they know of the surprises along the way-including the girl they call Ann.
Relationships: Ignis Scientia/Original Female Character
Kudos: 5





	1. Prologue

School bells were ringing throughout the campus for the first time that semester, and once again, Noct was running late. Prompto ran behind him, excited for their first class.

It wasn’t unusual for Prompto to be excited about their first day of ninth grade; what was unusual was the fact that Noct was just as excited. Specifically for history class. They weren’t the only ones either. Everyone loved the history professor, Marcis. It was the only class Noct was really looking forward to.

Their professor was of Tenebraean nobility, and though he didn’t quite look the part, his inner scholar always shone through. Quite simply, he had fluffy black hair, piercing silver eyes, and he only wore dark, dark purple suits. For the first day of class, the professor introduced himself to the new students and welcomed the older students, two of which being Noct and Prompto.

He wrote his name on the board - Marcis Ka’yamar, he wrote the class subject, and he wrote a single word: Genesis. His handwriting was slanted and graceful, almost hard for some of the students to read. He then spun around and gestured to the word, with the beginnings of a mischievous grin on his face. “Can anyone tell me what this word means?”

A kid in the back raised their hand. “Isn’t that a video game character?”

“Try again,” he said.

“It means ‘beginning,’ right?”

The professor smiled and pointed to the winner. “Indeed it does,” he said. “And what better topic to start the year with, no?” He erased the word and began to draw. With informational assistance from the students, he drew three elements in a triangle, and three small circles in another. After explaining that the circles represented the three titles they all knew so well, one of which being the Chosen King, he asked another question. “Can anyone tell me what I’m about to do?”

The history geek in the back raised his hand. “You’re about to add a fourth drawing to those.” The professor gave the student an air high-five. “At this rate, we’ll finish early,” he said. “But he’s right, none of these are complete.” The professor added a fourth circle to the triad of circles, and a new symbol, turning them into diamonds rather than triangles. “Fire, Ice, Thunder, and Wind. Likewise, here we have the King, the Oracle, the Scourge, and the Genesis.”

The children listened intently as he supported his statement with his own findings. He told them of his studies as if they were the grandest of adventures. After a generous amount of background information, he told them all to flip to a certain page in their books. On it was a single framed verse.

“Child of Accordo and Niflheim, born in Lucis from noble and knight,” he read. “Daughter of good and evil, come to purge the evils of night.”

The same kid that asked if the Genesis was a video game character raised his hand again. “Professor? Isn’t that the Crystal’s job?”

“A very good question, my boy,” he beamed. “So much so, that we can’t quite answer it ourselves. There is still much we have yet to learn about her, but I will tell you I have my own, personal suspicions.” Once again, the students were fascinated, especially Prompto. Noct, however, was still half focused on spinning his pencil without dropping it.

“But I’ll have to tell you next class,” he said. “I’m letting you out early today, and I’m offering a challenge to those who wish to do some research.”  
Half the kids packed their bags, including Prompto, but Noct and the other half listened intently. “To those who can bring me new information on the Genesis tomorrow will receive extra credit and a little prize,” he said. Noct lit up at the challenge.

As the rest of the students packed up, he raised his voice over the shuffling. “It must be new information, mind you,” he added. “If it is something we covered today, it won’t count.” Noct left class that day with a fiery determination to win that prize, and Prompto tried to get him to admit that it might also be a matter of impressing his favorite teacher.

<<0>>

When the school day ended, Noct waited impatiently for a familiar car to come around the bend. The shining black vehicle pulled into view, and his advisor, Ignis, was already opening the car door for him. “Good afternoon, Highness,” said the bowing young man. “How was your first day?”

Noct was ready to tell his friend about the special project, but he remembered a certain promise he’d made to himself, regarding Ignis’s unnecessary use of formal titles. He pursed his lips and slid into the seat. “Highness,” Ignis sighed. “We are in a public place. I believe I can use a formal title amidst other civilians.”

Noct made a zipping motion across his mouth as he shut the door on himself. He watched his advisor lower his head and walk back to the driver’s side. “I can tell by the sparkle in your eye, Prince Noctis, that you desperately want to tell me something.” Not only was he a stubborn prince, but he was loyal to the bet between him and his Shield, Gladio. He cocked an eyebrow in the review mirror, obstinate. The ride back to the Citadel was silent.

Ignis opened the door for him upon arrival with an elaborate bow. “I appreciate the quiet drive, Noct, but I do believe you’re about to burst,” he said. “Tell me about it on the way.”

By the time they reached the Citadel libraries, Ignis was all caught up on the special project. The grand double doors flew open, and the two young men found themselves craning their necks to see the towering shelves. Noct immediately charted course for the shelves marked by the letter A, and Ignis was close behind.

“What’s the title?”

“Ancient World History.”

“You’ve passed it.”

Once the book was located and pulled from its place, the two of them nestled themselves on the floor against another shelf. “And what did you say we were looking for?” Ignis asked.

“The Genesis,” said Noct.

The name rang a bell. Ignis recalled coming across the elusive title a few years back, but it was a small subject—easily brushed aside. With a little teamwork, they found the correct page. Noct pointed to the bottom of the page, a very small section lacking context. It was naught but two paragraphs of theories, a date, and the prophecy itself. Ignis skimmed over the vague content, then Noct showed him the date.

“M.E. 732, November 17,” he read. “Is this… is this a date of birth, or a date of recognition?”

“If it was a birthdate, that would make her, like… eighteen.”

“Seventeen.”

The prince scoffed. “That can’t be right. She’s older than me?”

“I believe this might be the additional content Professor Ka’yamar was looking for,” said Ignis.

“So, I should take this to class, then?”

“I don’t see why not.”

<<0>>

Professor Ka’yamar tapped his chalk against the chalkboard with an air of pride and finality, showcasing the date he wrote in near-gibberish. “November seventeenth, modern era, seven hundred thirty-four: the birthdate of the Genesis,” he said. “Thank you very much, Noctis, this is exactly what I was looking for. And don’t fret, Mira, your contribution is worthy of a small prize as well.”

Second place was accepted by the young girl sitting in the front, who had offered a photo of an art piece painting four elements instead of three.

“Now, do any of you notice anything odd about this date?”

“Um… that date was seventeen years ago?”

“Indeed it was, lass,” said the professor. “The subject of our small prophecy here, the topic worth the least of your grade… is seventeen years old.”

“Professor? Why isn’t she talked about?”

The professor smiled again, showcasing far more pride in his students than any other teacher they knew. “Well, our world has been given prophecies that have already withstood the test of time,” he explained. “With historical figures such as, say, the Oracle... we know exactly what she’s here to do. We’ve been told by ancient prophecies. For cases such as this—” he gestured to the chalkboard— “we were given no context. No indication of importance. To the public eye, this holds close to no worth at all—naught but a trail gone cold.”

“Then why study it?”

“It may be a miniscule discussion that I’ve managed to stretch into two class times, but it’s in your history books all the same. This prophecy, this little mysterious rhyme, was given by the Astrals themselves to an Oracle of days long passed. That alone must account for something, don’t you think?”

The girl in the front raised her hand, but he finished his thought before taking questions. “And I want to know exactly what you think at the beginning of class tomorrow. Keep it short and sweet, for we’ll be moving on to the next section. Now, you’re question, Mira?”

“You said the, uh… the Genesis, you said she’s alive right now.”

“Right.”

“So if she was born in Lucis… is there a chance she’s here? In Insomnia?”

Students began murmuring to each other, intrigued by the idea. “I mean, she’s only a little older than me,” said one. “Maybe she even goes to this school?” “I bet it’s that one girl from Math.”

Prompto raised his hand, capturing the attention of the professor before he could hush them. “Professor?”

“Yes, young man?”

“Do we get extra credit for finding the right one?”

The professor chuckled. “If you manage to find the Genesis herself, I’ll give you a perfect grade for every one of my classes.” Prompto smiled, joining the students behind him as they planned to make it their next summer project.

“Got it,” said Noct, already packing up. “Now about that prize…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case there was any confusion between my Genesis and Genesis from FFVII, I decided to make a joke out of it. You can expect a few more of those, but mostly in reference to FFVIII, another favorite of mine.  
> Anyway, I'm having way too much fun with this. Hope you guys like it so far.


	2. Insomnia Falls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be warned, there are a few spoilers for the Kingsglaive movie. There's a chance that this chapter won't make much sense to those who haven't seen it, but that won't affect the main storyline. As long as the plot points are clear, don't worry about it.  
> Also, it gets pretty violent. And then some.

SIX YEARS LATER

Ann tapped her foot quietly as she stood with her back to the door.

The marble floor created a bit of an echo, but she was too engrossed with the scene outside to notice. Through the window across the hall, she could see the front gates of the citadel, and the big screen that was rarely ever on.

Crowds upon crowds of people were standing below, watching. King Regis and Emperor Aldercapt stood in the same room, surrounded by men of the court. An unsigned treaty lay before them on the table.

The guard next to her broke the half silence, nearly making her jump. “I’d say that you’ve been rather unprofessional with the toe-tapping,” he said, “but I guess I don’t have much room to speak.”

She covered her smile, remembering the trek to their current position. “What, when you tripped on your way here?”

He shifted his stance, kicking a foot back and forth. “Because apparently guarding the Crystal requires brand new shoes.”

“To make up for our five-minute lunch,” she said.

“Right,” he chuckled.

Ann adjusted the heavy weapon in her hands, filling her cheeks with air. A few minutes passed, and the treaty signing hadn’t progressed much. Even the commentator was running out of things to say. She considered asking the next shift of watchmen to tell her what was going on in there.

She was ready to call it a dull day just like the rest of them. She was ready to sit down on the floor with another sigh.

If she had decided to sit down five seconds earlier, she would’ve missed the first explosion. The summoning of weapons. The scared and confused shrieks of the crowd.

Ann and her colleague rushed to the windows as the floor began to tremble. On the screen, swords were drawn against Niflheim. On the ground, citizens were running in all different directions away from the decimated Citadel gates. Smoke rose from the explosion, veiling the screen.

Ann tapped her earpiece. “What’s going on!?”

“The signing’s been compromised,” she heard. “Weapons have been drawn. Crownsguard, stick to your posts and await further instructions.”

“The Glaives aren’t reporting back, so it’s safe to assume we’re on our own.”

“Those of you guarding the Crystal, stay put,” another voice said. “Reinforcements are on their way.”

The two of them nodded to each other, returning to their posts with guns at the ready. Standing still was difficult, especially when the explosions seemed to be getting louder and closer.

Her mind darted back and forth between possibilities. Were the Niffs attacking? Was the treaty never going to be signed? Why were the Glaives still gone?

She hadn’t been allowed information on their secretive mission, but she knew it had something to do with Lady Lunafreya, who had shown up unannounced at the Citadel a day or two before the ceremony.

To find out for herself, he switched her earpiece to a two-person line. “Ellona, come in,” she said.

The guard beside her turned his head but said nothing. He already knew about her and Ellona. Anyone stationed with her knew.

“Yeah, checkin’ in,” she heard. Ann sighed upon hearing the familiar Accordian accent.

“The Citadel is under attack,” she said. “What’s going on?”

“We’re on the last Niff ship. Ulric ‘as the Princess, but getting outa here might be a problem.”

“ _Him_ getting out or _you_ getting out?”

“…”

A gut-wrenching moment of silence passed, then she spoke. “I’ll check back with you in a minute.”

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Yeah, yeah, and I’ll ground ya if you leave your post.”

“That’s not funny.”

“It’s a little funny.”

 _Beep_.

Ann sighed and lowered her hand. “Lady Lunafreya’s safe,” she told the other guard. He nodded. “One less thing to worry about.”

She wanted to bring up the King, but she didn’t get the chance. Another explosion went off—much closer than the others.

Amidst the thunderous shaking, they could hear heavy, metallic footsteps. The two of them took cautious steps forward. Smoke began to flood the hall, and ominous silhouettes were approaching.

Just as she dared to believe this was their back-up, she saw the shape of their helmets. These were not Crownsguard.

Ann drew her gun, and the other guard tried his communicator. “Back up—we need back up! Imperials are approaching the Crystal!”

She started firing on sight, hearing only static in her own comms. The troopers emerged from the smoke, the bullets nearly bouncing off their armor.

“Are they coming or what!?”

“No response!”

The troopers and their commander overpowered their measly two guns, unbothered by their best efforts. They were sorely outnumbered.

Only one trooper was taken down by the time her colleague was shot in the chest. She could only stare for a second. In one second’s time, her gun was knocked from her hand.

A trooper grabbed her arm to force her down, but she moved quicker. She twisted her arm away, standing at the doors to the Crystal. The commander stepped into view.

“I’d prefer not to kill you, milady,” he said, almost mockingly. “So, if you’d kindly step aside, I’ll let you live.”

Unable to come up with a witty remark, she simply planted her foot. “You won’t get be getting inside that easily,” she hissed. With that, she held out her hand and called for her bow.

Everyone watched as it flickered, sputtered, and died out, leaving her with an empty hand. Though she had expected this, her stomach sank nevertheless. She tried again, but her weapon wouldn’t come. The commander chuckled.

“A struggling Crownsguard, eh? Never seen _that_ before.”

On his command, a trooper forced her to the floor. “Still, a threat is a threat," he said. “And it’s good to be safe.”

The only thing she remembered after that was an agonizing blow to the head, a half-fought battle, and nothing but a cold, marble floor to catch her.

<<O>>

“Ira!”

She twitched.

“Ira what’s your status?”

One by one, her senses returned. Her head was pounding. She heard gunshots and explosions, but no more screams.

“Answer me! Ira!”

She groaned, instantly quieting the other voice, and tried to get up. She was on a cold floor with no sounds of footsteps upon it. When she got a good look around, she remembered where she was and what had happened.

She covered her mouth when she saw the ridiculous amounts of blood pooling beneath her colleague’s dead body.

“Oh gods, you’re still alive,” she heard.

After moving away from the blood, she rose to her feet and looked into the room where the crystal once resided. The doors were wide open, the room was clear of imperials, and the crystal was nowhere to be seen.

She cursed under her breath, switching to her other comms.

She was greeted by multiple voices—angered, frantic, and demanding. It was so hectic, she could barely make any sense of it. She needed a vantage point. Without hesitation, she rushed to the windows.

The first thing that caught her eye was the sky above. Waves of enemy ships in the distance were flooding towards their target, their missiles making it through to the city without a problem.

She gasped when she realized the Wall was gone. The crystal no longer protected the people of Insomnia, who were now under a full-scale attack.

“Ey,” she said, switching to her private line. “Fill me in.”

“Crownsguard are evacuating the city,” Ellona responded, almost immediately. “We’re still waiting on an update from the Princess and the King.”

“Alright.”

“Are you okay?”

The additional question stumped her, and her failed attempts to protect the crystal came back to her. She clenched the sharp edges of the window, lowering her gaze to the front gates below.

“We couldn’t stop them. My bow got stuck again. I… I couldn’t…”

“No, none of that,” she heard. “Don’t think like that, not now. Focus on what you _can_ do.”

Ann took a deep breath and nodded. “You’re right,” she said, walking away from the window. “Make sure the Princess is safe; I’ll help with the evacuation effort.”

“About that…”

Ann stopped mid stride at the sound of her voice. The guilt and regret in her tone was astounding. Ann rushed back to the window and searched the skies.

“Ulric and the Princess’re in trouble,” she explained. “They’re not gettin' outa here without-”

Her voice cut short, and before Ann could ask what was wrong, she heard the explosion. She leaned out the window to see the last remaining imperial ship from the first wave.

It was almost destroyed, barely staying aloft. Pieces were falling off, and there were explosions every two seconds. If she looked closer, she could see evidence of a large creature tearing the ship apart from the inside.

“Tell me you’re not still on that ship,” she pleaded. “Come on, you have to get out of there!”

“Ira, listen-”

Ann flinched at the sudden sound of metal on metal. “Mom?”

Her eyes went wide when she heard a horrid choking sound from the other side. There was a strangled gasp, the sound of a falling weapon, and a thud.

She shook her head, trying to ignore the implications of the horrible sounds.

“...Ira, listen,” she heard. The pain in the familiar voice was unmeasurable, and it brought tears to her eyes as she stared at the ship above. “Oh gods, tell me you’re-”

“Half the Glaives here... are traitors. I’m... takin’ the ship down with me.”

“ _What_? No...no, no, don’t even kid with me,” she cried. “Don’t you _dare_ try’n pull that hero act! Leave that to Nyx, okay?”

“It’s too late for me,” she said, audibly struggling. “Go find your father. We can’t lose him too.”

“No! I can’t just-!”

Her voice was drowned out by an explosion. She watched with wide eyes as the ship above her was blown to pieces.

Any chance to say goodbye was gone. Tears fell down her face as she stared up at the remains, listening to static.

<<O>>

Her legs carried her faster than she thought was possible. She ran through empty streets as if her fear and desperation were chasing her, all while her mother’s last words echoed through her head.

_Save you father..._

_We can’t lose him too..._

The word ‘we’ echoed the loudest. Her legs slowed down when she realized that word no longer applied. It was just her now. Her crushing loss finally caught up to her and her mindless running. She slowed down, her fear and despair looming over her from behind.

Then, she looked up at the darkened sky. She wiped the relentless tears from her face and took a deep breath. She wasn’t alone.

She remembered why she had been running. Out of fear, yes, but out of burning determination. Her father was ahead, and she couldn’t rest until she found him. 

Steeling her resolve, she pushed herself back into a sprint, then faster. She ran through ruined streets and piles of rubble. The heavy missiles and gunfire had done their job, but it looked like the area had been evacuated. Everyone was gone. It was a good thing, too. The worst was yet to come. Daemons were coming.

When she arrived at the familiar building, she knew she wouldn’t have to hold out for much longer.

She approached the flaming library and saw him right away, ushering a total of two people out of the building. The tactical part of her mind started going through an escape route for the two people left behind.

When her father saw her, his silver eyes lit up immediately, and he motioned for her to come with him. Finally, she was going to be alright. He was going to be alright.

She picked up speed again, unable to frown after seeing his familiar face, but unable to smile after all that had happened.

His eyes suddenly flooded with terror as he looked up at the sky behind her. He cried out for her to stop, and she halted immediately. His eyes shone with red and orange light, reflecting the flaming missile that she couldn't see until it was too late.

She had no idea why he had suddenly stopped. She was on edge the moment he gave her a knowing smile. She couldn’t hear him over the gunfire, but his mouth said: “I love you.”

Realization hit her faster than the missile hit the building. She screamed, watching in horror as a blinding light engulfed the surrounding area.

The explosion flung her backwards and she hit the ground, rolling across rough, broken asphalt. When she gathered the strength to get up, she lifted her head and found only ruined foundations where the library had been.

Tears streamed down her face once again, but after the events of the day, her mind was only working at half its capacity. Despite her physical pain, she felt numb. Despite the fire she stared into, she felt cold. She stared at the space her father had occupied moments ago, and everything else faded away.


	3. The Road Ahead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (!) Short chapter. They'll get longer as I go.

Her feet carried her forward, but she didn’t know where she was going. Words flew around her, but her ears didn’t register them. Her eyes were on the road ahead and she watched nothing else.

As if by luck, Ann had been caught up in a group of escapees. She didn’t know who lifted her off the ground. She could barely remember leaving the city. The sun had risen, but it did not bring her joy in the slightest. It only made her realize that time wouldn’t stop for her. She had to keep moving.

She walked in the back, slower than everyone else. When they reached the end of the road, the bridge gates were open. There wasn’t a Niff in sight. Whoever led the group knew that it wouldn’t remain this way for long and urged them all forward.

Ann recognized the voice as it carried to her ears from the front. Lady Lunafreya. They were following the Oracle. And yet, this information gave her no comfort.

Finally, she couldn’t take another step. Her feet failed her, and they froze in place. Her knees buckled and she slowly dropped to the asphalt, holding her arms and staring into nothing. She had no reason to move on. She had no family. She had no friends. Two words echoed in her head.

Failure.

Dead.

As the looming emotion of loss began to consume her, she saw movement ahead. Next thing she knew, someone was holding their foreheads together. She looked up to see Lunafreya. The Oracle whispered a few words, and Ann felt every ache and pain disappear, even the ones she didn’t know she had.

Lunafreya lifted her head, helping Ann to her feet. “I can’t heal the wounds that scar you most, Iradelis, but I pray this helps.”

Ann’s eyes widened. “You know my name?”

Lunafreya nodded, further unraveling her messy, blonde updo. 

“But, I- why me? I’m sure other people need help more than I do.”

“That might be true," she said, "and I’ll see to them momentarily, but I sense you’ll need all your strength for what lies ahead.”

“What?”

She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Your path is not with them. You’re meant for more than you know.”

The confusion in her expression must’ve been obvious, because Lunafreya decided not to go any further. “I won’t be traveling with these people for much longer either,” she said. “But they are headed for Lestallum, I believe.”

“And you?”

“The Disc of Cauthess," she said. 

Ann perked up at the name. She knew what she spoke of, though she’d never seen it with her own eyes. “Will you be alright?” Lunafreya asked.

She blinked. Again, the Oracle herself was paying her much more attention than she felt worthy of. She had a list of questions, and she skimmed over her answer to get to them.

“I- yes, I’ll be fine,” she said. “But, m’lady, should you be going alone?”

“Perhaps not,” she said, glancing out at the road ahead. “But I’m prepared to if I must.”

Gathering what boldness she had left, Ann raised her chin and finally moved her feet. “Lady Lunafreya, wait.”

“Yes?”

“I ‘ave nowhere to go, and no one to go with... but I’m a Crownsguard, and I know how to fight. I can escort you to the Disc of Cauthess, m’lady, if you want me to.”

Lunafreya smiled. There was a light in her keen eyes that made Ann wonder if this was what she’d been hoping for. “I’d like that very much,” she said. “And it’s alright, there’s no need for formality.”

“Are you sure? I’m-”

“Call me Luna.”

<<O>>

It took some adjustment to begin calling her by a nickname, but before long, both were enjoying themselves. Luna had sparked conversation as they walked along the barren bridge, and Ann was laughing again. They spoke of anything that wasn’t remotely related to the events of the night before.

Ann agreed to call her Luna if she would do her the favor of calling her “Ann.” Luna agreed, but kindly asked why.

“If it’s no trouble,” she said, “My mother was the only one who called me that. Everyone else just calls me Ann.”

“Oh, my apologies,” she said quickly. “It’s no trouble at all.”

“I’m sorry too,” Ann said. “I didn’t mean to sound rude.”

“It’s quite alright.”

Eventually, they came close to the end of the bridge. Soon, they’d be off towards Duscae to find the Disc of Cauthess.

Luna explained to Ann that it wouldn’t be hard to find, which then prompted her to ask why she was going there in the first place.

“I’m not seeking out the Disc itself," "It’s what’s beneath it that matters to me.”

“You mean how the Archaean’s supposed to be under there?”

“Yes. I plan to wake him so Noctis can forge a covenant.”

“I’ve... only heard of something like that," she marveled. "That’s like straight from a book.”

“Indeed. It seems the tides are shifting.”

“For the better, right?”

“We can only hope...”

They finally made it across the bridge, only to be blocked by gates. Luckily, they were unlocked. They pushed them open and left them behind, ready to fully depart.

Luna kept looking back at the city behind them, but Ann didn’t turn around in the slightest. Nothing could make her look back.

When they thought they were clear of trouble, the Niffs decided to come into play. There was one last gate ahead of them, but with all the others being unlocked, they had hoped this one would be open as well. They were very wrong.

There were two mechs and at least three dozen MTs. They stood on the other side of the gate with their backs to the two women.

“Okay, this could be really fun or _really_ _bad_ ,” said Ann, “Either way, starting a fight might not be the best idea.”

“Don’t worry, I wasn’t planning on fighting. If we can fit through there, there’s a chance we can pass by unnoticed.” She pointed to their right, towards a narrow passage between walls.

Ann went first, to shield her from danger, and they came out on the other side without a problem. The passage led them into one of the fortifying strongholds that the gate was lodged between.

Next was an open area, with a single guard standing in the middle. Since most of the guards were standing out front, there weren’t many on the inside.

Ann and Luna stayed out of sight and found another passage towards the front.

After a few more similar chambers and doors, Ann started to grow wary. As they walked through an empty corridor, she voiced her concern.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” she whispered. “As do I,” said Luna. “Either they aren’t expecting someone to come this way, or the number of imperials at the front gate is greater than we first thought.”

“Let’s hope it’s the first one.”

“Indeed.”

After choosing the door on her left, Ann peeked outside to see about ten MTs blocking their exit. She turned back and closed the door. “I don’t think we can sneak past them this time,” she told Luna.

“Is there anything I can do?”

“Just let me draw their fire,” she said. “When you find an opening, take it. No matter what.”

“You’re implying you won’t take it with me?”

"I know my place," she said. "I'm just asking that you don't let me hold you back if it ever comes to it."

Luna's eyes were suddenly downcast, as if she had something she wanted to say. It was an expression she seemed oddly familiar with, though Ann didn’t think it suited her.

Instead, she shook her head. "Your place is not where you think. What tells you otherwise?"

Ann sighed, pulling her hand from the door and breaking eye contact. “In all honesty,” she said, “I may be a Crownsguard, but I’m a pretty lousy one.”

Luna only listened.

“If it weren’t for... well...”

Ann swiped at her nose with her thumb to distract her from the tears that stung at her eyes. She looked up when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t delve into painful memories before you’re ready to resolve them,” she said, understanding. “After getting to know you, I find very little fault in you.”

“I appreciate that, really,” she said, “But that’s not it.”

“How so?”

“I can fight, but anything involving the Armiger isn’t my strong suit. My bow gets stuck sometimes.”

“Really,” she said, intrigued. “May I see?”

Ann backed away from the door. She held out her hand with her palm up and closed her eyes. After a deep breath, she called for her bow. It sparked with blue light, it flickered, and it faded away.

She sighed and lowered her hand. “Plus, I’m sure I’ve exceeded the distance limit by now.”

Fascinated, Luna took a step closer and held her hand back up with her own. "Try again."

Ann obeyed and gave it her best effort. It sparked once, but somehow… it stayed. She felt that familiar weight in her hand and opened her eyes.

There was her bow, beautiful, black, and shining. It was a compound bow, with two black arrows attached to the hooks on the side of it—one sharp and one blunt. She looked up at Luna in awe. 

"Did you...?"

"I made the transition a little clearer. I hope this helps."

Ann nodded and held her weapon close. "Thank you," she said, with utmost sincerity. "I mean it. I'm glad we met."

"And I as well," she smiled. "Now, shall we?"

"Yup. Just stay behind me."

The battle went just as Ann had expected. She came out with arrows flying, trying to finish as quickly as possible. As Luna watched her fight, she started to understand her situation a little better.

She watched the sharp arrow lodge itself into the chest of an MT, then return to her hand to be shot again. It was as if she had an infinite amount.

Luna didn’t know much about archery, but she knew what she was doing took skill. Whatever she lacked in summoning, she made up for in combat.

She was vastly outnumbered, however, when another troop of MTs stormed in. The doors burst open, and a hopeless amount of troopers swarmed them.

In the split second before chaos ensued, the two of them locked eyes.

As the MTs ran past Luna to get to the archer, Ann gave her a look that explicitly referenced her past request: to run. She wouldn’t have this chance again. 

Luna was stalled at the door. Her escape was right in front of her, but she looked back. Ann was thrown to the ground, her bow sliding across the concrete. She managed to dispel the weapon before it was taken by an MT.

As she struggled on the ground, she looked up through a window between enemies. “Go!”

A flash of regret crossed the Oracle’s eyes. Finally, she gave a solemn nod and ducked out of sight. Ann heaved a sigh of relief, allowing the MTs to drag her back into the base.


	4. A Narrow Escape, And Four New Friends

The next few days passed by like a breeze. Ann was alone in her cell, but she had plenty to think about during her stay. It was a very old and minimal keep she was being held in, with a view of the blue sky, and vines growing through cracks in the ground.

After helping Luna, she was apprehended and forced into an imperial ship. It had carried her far from the Crown City bridge, and they’d touched down in a barren blockade. She had watched them close off the road as they forced her towards the cells.

She sat cross-legged on the broken concrete and let out a long, drawn-out sigh. The single trooper in the area ignored her yet again, and she pursed her lips, wondering what she could do or say to get a rise out of it. She knew full well this one wasn’t human, but she was too bored to care.

“Wouldn’t happen to have any other prisoners around to keep me company, wouldja?”

She waited patiently, but it didn’t budge. “Do I at least get my uniform back?”

She looked down at the clothing she was left with—a grey tank top, black cargo pants, and no shoes. It seemed they didn’t want her wearing any symbol of the Crownsguard. “Those shoes were brand new…”

With her hands locked behind her, she couldn’t scratch the sudden itch on her neck. The source of her itch was a rusted necklace that they didn’t bother taking. “Ey,” she called. “I have another complaint if you’d care to hear it.” The MT didn’t move.

“Whatever.”

She was lying against the wall when she heard a new sound. For the first time, the MT turned its head. She could hear distant gunfire, stomping of feet, and a ring of metal on metal.

The sounds grew louder and closer. She scooted forward and craned her neck to see. A door creaked open, then a strange blue light shot across her vision. The MT collapsed, and a familiar figure stood over it, pulling his sword from the sparking corpse.

The crown prince Noctis grinned triumphantly and kicked the corpse out of the way. He brushed his hands off and glanced to the side.

“I’m impressed,” said another familiar voice. “You’ve improved, your Highness.”

Cor Leonis, the marshal of the Crownsguard stepped into her view, and she suddenly shifted uncomfortably. If the prince didn’t recognize her, she knew the marshal would. At this point, she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to be recognized.

Whether she wanted it or not, her invisibility didn’t last long, and the prince spotted her cell. He stopped in his tracks, his confused eyes locked on her. Cor followed his line of sight and seemed surprised. She sat nervously under their gaze, then she cracked an uneasy grin.

The boy in black sprinted towards her cell, and she started to go through her options. She imagined what it would be like if she introduced herself as the Crownsguard who couldn’t summon, and she was faced with a decision.

As discreetly as she could, she flicked her overgrown bangs into her face and prayed she was covered in enough dirt and bruises.

“Who are you?” He asked. “Are you alright?”

He didn’t give her much time to answer before turning to Cor. “I didn’t know they were holding prisoners here,” he said.

“They shouldn’t be,” said Cor. As he asked, he began to tug at the locks.

“Are you alright?” the prince asked her. She nodded silently, keeping her mouth shut. He was offset by her silence and asked clarifying questions while Cor undid the locks. “How’d you get here?”

It took her a moment to find her voice. “Just, uh… a run-in with the Niffs,” she said softly. “I was caught at the gates of Insomnia, but they ‘ad me moved here. Last I checked, someone named Loqi’s on his way to oversee the place on my account.”

Noct and Cor looked at each other with more annoyance than concern. “Looks like we won’t be leaving without a fight,” Noct sighed. “Consider it practice,” said the marshal. He yanked on the rusted lock once more and glanced at Ann. “The refugees were allowed safe passage,” he said. “Why would they only stop you?”

“I’d imagine it was because I was with Luna,” she said. “We met on the bridge, and-”

“Luna?” Noct asked, his eyes widening.

“I mean Lunafreya,” she said quickly. “She told me to call her Luna, but if you-”

“No, that’s alright,” he said. “I just didn’t know she was… that she’s… is she alright?”

“She should be,” she nodded. She began to loosen up, relieved they hadn’t yet said anything about her identity. “Last I saw her was at the gates.”

“She wasn’t captured, right? You just split up?”

“We didn’t really have a choice. I kept the MTs back, so they never ended up following her. Still not sure why they thought I was more important.”

Noct was at a loss for words for a moment. “Wait, so you… gave yourself up for her?” He scratched the back of his neck, not sure how to put it. “I… thank you. Thank you for keeping her safe. I hope there’s some way I can repay you.”

“Just knowing you’re alive is enough, Highness.”

He chuckled, still clawing at his hair. “I guess keeping a low profile isn’t going to be so easy, huh?”

“Well, you _are_ wearing all black,” she said, flashing another grin.

“So, who are _you_?”

“Ann,” she said simply.

“Just Ann?”

“Mm-hm.”

He wanted to say more, but the locks finally came undone. Cor tossed the rusted piece aside and let the bars swing open. They helped her to her feet, but they soon realized the cell door wasn’t the only problem.

“Cor, can we get these cuffs of too?”

After a good look, the marshal shook his head. “The only safe way to take them off is with a key, but I doubt we’d find one just lying around.”

“I can make do,” she said, rolling her shoulders. “Mind if I follow you two outa here?”

“By all means,” said Noct. “Though we may have one last fight ahead if someone’s really coming.”

“All the more reason to stick with you.”

The three of them kept moving. Ann followed at a safe distance as they took out the last of the guards, and she watched Noct carefully. He was able to summon and switch between weapons with such ease. She looked down at the ground in contemplation. Concealing her title became more important to her with every passing moment, but she still wasn’t certain on her reason for doing so.

Was it because her lack of skill was embarrassing? Did she want a fresh start? Or was it because of what she had failed to do with said title? Memories of that night flashed through her mind, and Cor had to remind her to keep up.

Finally, they reached the end. The wide-open area was scattered with idle, dead-looking machines, and the vines were beginning to swallow them whole. Cor opened the front gates, revealing three figures standing in the road amidst a mess of defeated MTs. Not until the doors were fully open could she see them clearly.

The young-looking blonde was casually, yet excitedly strolling ahead, slinging his gun around his finger before putting it away.

The taller, tough-looking swordsman was obviously satisfied after such a battle, and the scar on his face caught Ann’s eye.

Lastly, the man in glasses captured her complete attention. With his sharp green eyes, tawny hair, defined features, and , she risked a double take.

Obviously, as a Crownsguard, she knew their names. Everyone in the Citadel knew of the prince’s retainers and best friend. She didn’t know them personally, nor did she remember much about them, but she knew enough to point them out. 

When the gunman saw the prince, he lit up. “Noct!”

“Marshal,” said the man with the glasses. “It’s good to see you again.” She added his accent to the list of things she liked about this guy. It was new, but growing rapidly. The swordsman then laid eyes on her and raised an eyebrow. “And who’s this?”

Everyone turned to the woman in handcuffs. She just rolled on her heels a little and offered an awkward smile. The prince spoke up before she could think of an explanation.

“This is Ann,” he said. “She helped Luna.”

They seemed surprised to hear that.

“Ann, this is Prompto, Gladio, and Ignis,” said Noct.

She smiled and greeted them, acting as if those names were new to her. Gladio, however, was looking at her with suspicious eyes.

“You look familiar,” he said. “Are you-?”

_“Stay right where you are!”_

The six of them looked up to see a ship coming their way. Inside the open bay doors was a man standing in front of a giant mech. “Well, well, if it isn’t ‘Cor the Immortal’... So, you survived the Citadel. And now you’re running off with my prisoner? Well now, I’m afraid I can’t let you go without a fight.”

With that, Loqi climbed into his mech and jumped from the ship, landing between them and the exit. Cor stood between Ann and the mech while Ignis and Gladio took note of her cuffs. “Stay back,” said Noct told her.

“I can still run,” she said. “Want me to draw his fire?”

Prompto snorted at the image she painted, and Ignis shook his head. “I doubt he’d want to harm his ‘prisoner.’ Just maintain a safe distance.”

Ann nodded and backed away further while the five of them leapt into battle. Gladio pulled out a two-handed sword, Prompto conjured a handgun, Noct used a strange looking, one-handed sword, Cor had a long sword, and Ignis used two daggers.

She watched as they gave it their all. Despite their level of motivation, their teamwork skills were merely passable, as if they were just beginning to get the hang of it. A part of her wished she could fight alongside them, but now wasn’t the time.

She was able to learn a little bit about them by the way they fought. Her attention was diverted, however, when she saw the lasers. Loqi was aiming his cannons at the prince, but at the speed he was dodging, they were going to hit her instead. Prompto saw this and shouted for her to move. She gladly obliged and fled from her current hiding place, just to watch it explode behind her.

“Her cover’s been blown!” Prompto shouted. “Literally!”

She soon spotted another place to hide, but she also saw the prince again. He was in danger and trying to avoid yet another set of lasers. She considered her options, then ran towards him. Honestly, it was incredibly embarrassing, the way she had to run with her arms behind her back, but the prince came first.

She stood in front of him, revealing that Ignis's prediction was true. Loqi averted his weapon and aimed for someone else. She grinned in triumph, but their problems weren’t over. Loqi was now aiming at Prompto. After making sure the prince was alright, she hurried over and skidded to a stop in front of him. Much to her enjoyment, the lasers moved once again.

“Nice!” Prompto cheered. “Guys, looks like we’ve got some cover!”

“And some entertainment at that,” Gladio added, referring to her awkward stance. She just sneered at him and kept going.

Loqi was nearing defeat. And a humiliating one at that. He staggered back after having a sword wedged into his mechanic arm, followed by the prince, who yanked it free and slashed some very important-looking cables. Two knives severed the rest, a greatsword sliced the joint, and a single bullet knocked the arm clean off. She remarked to herself about how a well-placed arrow could’ve stabbed straight through the heart of the beast between the grooves of the chest plates-

“Move!”

She didn’t know whose voice it was, but as the mech created a shadow over her, she remembered thinking “of course.”

In one fluid action, she was grabbed by the shoulders and pulled out of the way of the falling mech. The prince’s advisor, the one with the oddly spiked hair, whisked her to safety. She let out a sigh, watching the mech crumble pathetically to the ground.

They would’ve spoken at the same time if it weren’t for a sudden, quiet sound. Something was… hissing? Cor identified it in an instant and warned them all to get away. Noctis warped, Prompto and Gladio ran, and Ann shoved Ignis back. Noctis and Cor were the only ones able to avoid the explosion.

Ann and Ignis were thrown back, split up as they tumbled across the broken concrete. Ann rolled into a stop, only because she was caught by vines, and her head collided with one of the boulders beneath them. The pain was instantaneous, flooding every nerve and rendering her limbs useless. Her vision blurred, voices faded, and darkness introduced itself.

She tried to move, to speak, to open her eyes, but her senses had up and walked away. By the time she got a grip, she began to pick up on new sounds. Closer sounds. She wasn’t lying on the ground anymore. Finally, she forced her eyes open. The first thing she saw was the bottom of someone’s chin. He was talking, and the movement of his glasses created a glare. She realized she was in his arms. She shifted, catching his attention.

When he looked down, the sunlight flooded around his face and into hers. It created a halo of sorts around his dirty blonde spikes and veiled his face in a shadow that somehow didn’t darken the multitude of green in his eyes. For a moment, she stared.

She realized this was the perfect time to say something. It was one passing moment filled to the brim with potential for romance—a chance for her to say something sweet to this knight in shining armor. It could’ve been the sure beginning of a sweet and happy love story of some sort…

If she were a hopeless romantic.

Instead, she squirmed in his arms, blinking beneath the ruthless sunlight. “This is nice and all, but I think I can walk now.”

He nodded once, setting her on her feet with a quick “of course.” His words were nearly cut off by a cough, but he managed to suppress it. Her feet touched gravel, and she considered asking him to carry her again just to spare herself the rocky walk back.

The prince and his retainers were conversing over something she quickly began to pick up on. She took a step forward, joining the half-circle. “You won’t be coming with us?” The gunman asked.

“I’ll return to watching the Niffs,” said Cor. “’Til then, take care. Though, it’s clear I don’t need to worry about you too much, Highness.”

As the Marshal took his leave, Ann bent forward and swung her braid over her shoulder, grimacing at the state of it. The perky-haired gunman tapped her shoulder, capturing her attention. “Not gonna lie, you look pretty beat up,” he said, grinning apologetically. “Cor said we should offer to take you to Hammerhead.”

“We know someone who might be able to fix your little handcuff problem,” the Shield added.

“Food’s on us too, if you want,” said the prince.

“We can certainly provide more than a meal,” the advisor told him. He turned to her, nodding. “Consider your lodging for the night covered.”

“I…” She looked at each of them in turn. “Thank you. I’ll take you up on that.”

They nodded to her, then to each other as if to settle it amongst themselves. The prince set off towards the car, inviting her to follow, but she noticed that not everyone had begun walking. Behind her, the advisor had an arm wrapped around himself, trying to fight back a heaving cough. “Iggy?” The blond asked. As he failed to keep in the cough, his three companions were by his side in an instant, immediately going on about potions and stoicism and whatnot.

Now that he was standing in the sun, she realized how rough he looked. If she were first place in a competition of burns and bruises, he was third. The potion he was given cured the coughing, but it did nothing for the soot clinging to his button-up shirt. “You can use one on yourself too, genius,” the prince scolded.

Apparently, the prince scolding his advisor was not a normal occurrence, because the taller man scowled reproachingly. “I felt that our new acquaintance held some priority,” he argued.

“Well, there’s this thing called the Armiger, and it holds more than one-”

“Save the fighting for later,” said the shield. “We’ve got places to be.”

Ann followed slowly behind as they tried to remember where they parked their car. At first, it was to watch her step and avoid sharp rocks, but it became a means to observe from behind. She watched as they teased and bickered, smacked each other upside the heads, and made fun of the prince over various things. They definitely weren’t a conventional royal retinue, she decided.

By the time they reached the car, she spotted a new problem. Noctis, Prompto, and Gladio were beginning to squeeze themselves into the backseat. She raised an eyebrow, hiding an amused smile. “Y’sure about this? I’d hate to horde shotgun.”

“It’s fine,” Gladio dismissed. “I need the leg room and they can stand to be uncomfortable every now and then.” The prince scowled at the taller man, his shoulders up tight from the lack of space.

She wanted to laugh at the display, but something moved behind her, catching her eye. She watched Ignis open the passenger door for her. “Wow, chivalry isn’t dead after all,” she beamed. It was obvious this wasn’t the reaction he’d been expecting, but he was quick to respond. "Not if I can help it," he said.

Before she sat down–before she was even done smiling–they heard a camera flash. The two of them turned to see Prompto peeking over a camera. He immediately shrunk into his seat when he saw their faces.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "Just thought that was cute."

Ignis shook his head and sighed, shutting the door for her and walking around to his side. Noctis elbowed Prompto with what little room he had. "You are unbelievable sometimes," he said.

"I’m just the only one around here with a knack for spotting art,” said the cameraman. He positioned his fingers to make a rectangle, framing her and Ignis together. “Watch it, or you’ll scare the little lady off,” Gladio chuckled, smacking his hand away. Ann hid her laughter with the back of her hand, glancing towards the back seat. “I’m afraid it’ll take more than that.”

As they drove towards Hammerhead, Ann tried to enjoy the warm breeze, but multiple things weighed heavy in the back of her mind. Was it a good idea to hide her identity? Probably not. Was she going to keep doing it? Most likely.

She had just drifted off into a full-blown daydream when a voice in the back made her jump. “Those were some pretty sharp reflexes, jumping to save Iggy like that,” said Gladio, nudging her shoulder. “Crownsguard level, even.”

She honestly couldn’t tell if he was curious or suspicious, and it was so out of the blue, she was at a temporary loss for words. Swallowing her nervous tone, she put up a fight the only way she knew how.

“Bold of you to assume it wasn’t an accident.”

The prince snorted somewhere behind her, Prompto stifled a boyish laugh, and she could’ve sworn their driver nodded to himself. “Fair enough,” Gladio chuckled.

“At least she’s got enough honesty to make up for it.”

<<O>>

When they arrived in Hammerhead, a perky, blonde mechanic greeted them with a smile. “What brings y’all back so soon?”

“We were hoping you could help with a little lock problem,” said Prompto, eagerly climbing out of the back seat. Ignis opened the door for Ann and brought her to her feet, revealing to the mechanic the issue **.**

"I see now... And who’s the purdy face?”

“Name’s Ann,” she said. “Nice to meet you, miss.”

“The pleasure’s all mine, hon,” she smiled. “Call me Cindy.”

“Think you can help us?” Noct asked.

After looking it over, Cindy gave an estimate of ten minutes and hurried off to grab her tools. Ann found a place to sit on the concrete while Noct and Gladio disappeared inside the shop went to the shop next door. Prompto joined her on the ground, sitting cross-legged and fidgeting nervously. “What’s got you so jumpy?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

He opened his mouth, but it clamped shut the moment Cindy returned, toolbox in hand, and his reddened face said it all. She chuckled to herself as the mechanic settled behind her and began fiddling with the cuffs.

As Prompto and Ann chatted away about whatever came to mind, Ignis finished refueling the Regalia and joined them. He swept the ground before sitting down.

“So, Ignis, what’s _your_ favorite color?” Ann asked.

“Pardon?”

“Mine’s orange, Prompto says he likes red, and Cindy’s is peach,” she said. “All very similar, but… I think…”

After leaning forward to study him, she nodded. “I think you’re a green or a purple kind of guy.”

The advisor rested on his knee, raising his chin. “I’ve found myself partial to yellow.”

“Really?”

“No, not really,” he said. “You guessed it.”

Prompto raised his hand for a high-five, and for a solid second or two, Ann intended to give him one. They both snickered after a shuffle of metal, and Cindy spoke up from behind. “Just a bit longer and I’ll have these pesky things off,” she said. So, they passed the time with more words.

Prompto was going on about photography when the cuffs fell from her wrist. They turned around and saw Cindy swinging them around her finger. "Cindy, you're the best!" Prompto cheered.

“Yup, right this way,” said Prompto, gesturing vaguely behind him. He took Ann’s hand and pulled her towards the diner where the other two were waiting. After thanking Cindy once again, Ignis caught up and joined them.

The five of them couldn’t all fit at one table, so Ann claimed a second table for herself. Prompto and Noct then shifted over to her table, leaving Gladio and Ignis at their original table. Gladio just scoffed and started talking with Ignis about their next destination, while Ann asked Noct what he liked to do for fun.

When their food came, Noct looked down at his plate in disgust. Ann asked what the problem was, and he explained that Ignis had passive-aggressively ordered him the most vegetables possible.

He then passionately explained his hatred for said vegetables. She solved his problem by discreetly pushing her plate towards his, motioning for him to give her the unwanted food.

He lit up, instantly complying. As he scraped them onto her plate, Prompto laughed a little too loudly, and Ignis stretched to look around Gladio. Ann and Noct were caught red-handed, hunched over their plates and looking up at him like guilty children.

He cleared his throat and Noct groaned, pulling his plate back. Ignis gave him one last narrow-eyed glare before continuing conversation with Gladio. While Ann ate her smuggled vegetables, they continued conversation as well.

Ann began to shift in her seat when they started talking about the base, the fight with Loqi, and how Noct found her. Gladio rested his arm on the back of his seat, and Ignis moved a seat over to see and listen. It was a good story, but she was dreading being put in the spotlight.

She thought they might get through the story without asking her any questions, but then they began talking about something worse. The burning topic of the attack on the Crown City finally surfaced, and she couldn’t bear to listen.

Ann set her fork down, and they instantly went silent. “Thanks for the food, guys, but it’s getting late,” she said quietly, pushing her plate away. “I’m gonna call it a night.”

Prompto’s shoulders fell, and Ignis practically glared holes into the back of Noct’s head. No one knew how to respond as she left the diner, not even Ignis. Gladio smacked Noct for bringing it up, and Prompto stood up to follow her. Ignis stopped him.

“Give her some space,” he said. “Heaven only knows what she’s been through.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait. My English teacher basically turned midterm week into two weeks. So, once I get my embarrassment of a paper turned in, I'll be cranking out some more chapters.


	5. A Quick Side Quest

Ann woke up that morning with a start. She sat up in a fleeting panic, and her nose stung at the threat of tears. She moved the covers aside with trembling hands and spun her legs over the edge of the bed. It was still dark out, but she couldn't bring herself to go back to sleep. If she dared to close her eyes, she knew she'd see the nightmare again.

It hadn't been a clear rendition of the attack, but it somehow captured the fear and sorrow perfectly. It even seemed to multiply those emotions tenfold. To distract herself from the horrible memory, she decided to get up. After drying her tears, she ran her fingers through her hair and sighed.

Outside, the wind greeted her kindly, and she shook her head to let it flow through her hair. The horizon was painted with the pale beginnings of a sunrise, and she found herself smiling in anticipation. Shoving her hands in her pockets, she looked around for something to do.

She spotted the diner and nodded to herself, eager for something to quench her dry throat. She stepped inside, and the owner waved.

“Wouldn’t happen to have any tea made, would you?” she asked, taking a seat on one of the stools. He paused his job at the cutting board to reach for the stovetop beside him. “Just so happens I do,” he said. “Though the coffee’s fresh off the pot.”

"I tend to save coffee for a rainy day," she said, "and it's lookin' awfully pretty out there."

The owner smiled and nodded as he poured her drink. "That's good to hear."

"Speaking of which, I didn't know diners even opened this early."

"Well, if you stick around these parts, you'll meet my regulars. I couldn't promise you a single person here gets a full two hours of sleep."

"Ooh, fun."

"You have no idea," he chuckled, extending her cup. After paying and thanking him, she stepped back outside, blowing into her cup. She stood quietly in the cool of the morning, sipping on her drink, only to be interrupted by the sound of a door. She was instantly grateful for the interruption when she saw a familiar, straight-faced man step out of the caravan at the other end of the lot.

Their eyes met, and Ignis waved. Whether it was an invitation or not, she took it as one and strolled across the lot. She shook her hair in the breeze and joined him near their little table.

He was delighted to see her as well, but he suddenly recalled the way she’d left the diner the night before. He tried to find a good way to apologize, but he kept getting distracted. He had to admit, she looked much different when she wasn’t covered in dirt and ash.

"Morning," she said. "Windy day, ain’t it?”

He found himself unable to answer her, and he wasn’t sure why. The most he could manage was a nod.

"So, before you guys leave, I just wanted to thank you for everything," she continued. "For finding me and giving me a ride and all that. You guys are really nice; I hope I get to see you again.”

Ignis blinked. He honestly hadn’t expected a farewell, though it was perfectly reasonable.

“You’re leaving?”

“I thought _you_ guys were,” she said. “Lestallum, right?”

"Indeed," he said. "I also recall you saying you have nowhere to go. Are you certain you don't want a ride to Lestallum?"

“Oh, I didn’t wanna invade on your-”

“Invade?” he asked. He was starting to understand her stance on the situation, and he shook his head. “Your company is no invasion. Noct and Prompto have really taken a liking to you, not to mention that Noct feels he owes you. It’s the least we can do to see you safely to wherever you wish to go.”

Ann’s smile grew with every word he spoke, prohibiting her from drinking her coffee. Her exposition was brighter than the sun itself. “You mean that?” He nodded, and her smile somehow grew wider. “That means a lot,” she said. “Thank you. Really.”

It seemed her smile was contagious, and he couldn’t keep from smiling slightly in response. “We’ll set out as soon as Noct gets out of bed,” he told her. “You’re more than free to join us, if that’s what you wish.”

She nodded eagerly. “That sounds fantastic. Mind if I just stick with you ‘til then?”

“I was planning on watching the sunrise,” he said, gesturing to the chairs on his right. “By all means, join me.”

He pulled a chair out for her, improving her mood even more. She sat down, setting her cup down and looking out at the stunning desert sunrise, and Ignis found his seat close by.

With her hands free, she was able to fiddle with the rusted chain around her neck, though she never pulled the pendant out from beneath her shirt. After a moment of silence, he remembered what had been on his mind.

“Might I... trouble you one last time?”

“A dozen times, if you want.”

He huffed, adjusting his glasses. “Well… if I recall correctly… it didn’t quite feel like an “accident” when you shielded me from the explosion earlier today.”

Her little lie laid in pieces, and she fluffed her hair, not bothering to pick them up. “I, uh… yeah, I was just trying to-”

“I simply wanted to thank you, accident or not,” he said. “I suppose Noct and I are both indebted to you.”

“W- oh, no,” she said, tugging at her mused hair. “Don’t worry ‘bout it. I just did what my gut told me to do.” He opened his mouth, but she shook her head. “Really,” she said. “It’s cool.”

He nodded gratefully, and she smoothed out her hair. After a silent, awkward sip of her tea, she suddenly perked up. She directed his confused eyes to the horizon, and the sight of the sunrise elicited from him a smile. She quickly looked away from him to enjoy the stunning display, but he promptly turned back around. It seemed _both_ of them were more interested in talking to each other.

<<O>>

One by one, the other three rolled out of bed. Each time one of them stepped out of the caravan, their first words were “good morning,” then an apology. They all seemed sorry for talking too much the night before. Even Noctis, though he was a little more flustered than the other two and still half-asleep. When she finally told all of them it was no big deal, they were ready to hop in the car.

About ten minutes into their trip, an unfamiliar name came up in the back, and Ann twisted around her seat. “Who’s Iris?”

“Oh, you’ll like her,” said Prompto. “She’s kinda like you, just shorter and a little more… eccentric.”

Gladio whacked him in the head over his choice of words, prompting a yelp and a whine from the blond. “I didn’t say that was a bad thing!”

“Tone of voice can often speak louder than words,” said Ignis. Prompto groaned and accepted petty defeat, shrinking into his seat. The prince noticed Ann’s lingering confusion and explained. “She’s Gladio’s little sister.”

“Ah.”

They were halfway to Lestallum when Prompto saw the sign. _Wiz Chocobo Post_ , it read. “Chocobos!” He said, practically hopping out of his seat. “Come on guys, can’t we go see them?”

Ann craned her neck to see, mildly intrigued. “Chocobos?”

“I’m up for it if you guys are,” the prince shrugged.

“Perhaps we should ask our guest before we make any detours?” Ignis asked them. Four heads turned, and the guest raised her hands dismissively. “Same ‘ere, I’m down. Plus, I think I might know someone here.”

“Great! Let’s go.”

The entire trip down to the post made Ann nervous, solely because Prompto’s excitement was threatening to do him in. It was no secret that this one loved chocobos. When they parked the car, he was the first one out, already talking to the man in charge. They finally caught up, just in time to see Prompto slouch in disappointment.

“I hate to break this to y’all, but we can’t permit our birds to leave the post,” the man explained. “Not while Deadeye’s still about. He’s an uncommonly ferocious beast that’s taken to prowlin’ these parts as of late.”

If the prince was as disappointed as Prompto was, he didn’t show it. Instead, he turned to Ignis, who knew what this particular look meant. “Guys, we could totally take this thing out,” said Prompto, verbalizing the exchange of looks. “Couldn’t we?”

“We can’t leave Iris waiting,” said Gladio.

“She’s not going anywhere,” said Noctis. “You could just call her and tell her we’ll be a little longer.”

“If it’s that important to you,” Gladio sighed.

Prompto’s excitement returned tenfold. “You mean it? What do you say, Ann? You up for a little hunt?”

She perked up, clearing her throat. “I mean…”

“Prompto, we’re not dragging her into another fight,” said Noctis.

“Do you even know how to fight?” Gladio asked her. She held her elbows and nodded. “Well, yeah… But I don’t have anything. A weapon, I mean.”

“You could borrow one of ours,” Ignis offered. “Unless you’d prefer to stay here. Don’t feel compelled to come along if you don’t want to.”

“It’s cool, I’ll tag along,” she said. “If anything, I can keep my distance. Don’t worry ‘bout me.”

With a satisfied nod, the prince turned to the man in charge, interrupting his wave to another visitor. “We’ll take the hunt.” He thanked them kindly, told them where to go, and waved goodbye.

Their destination was the Nebulawood. Upon entering the woods, Ann was amazed by the ridiculous amount of fog. In the distance, a thick tree snapped like a twig and fell with a thunderous crash. As they treaded warily through the foliage, Ann and Ignis brought up the rear. He was holding his polearm, instructing her on how to use it.

He went over the basics, demonstrating basic techniques, but she kept asking more questions. “Ok, so tell me again which hand to use for the stabby move.”

He arched an eyebrow and lowered the spear. “I just told you how. Were you not paying attention?”

“I was,” she grinned. “I just really like your accent.”

His expression following her statement was hard to describe, but it was the funniest thing she’d seen from him yet. And maybe… adorable? She didn’t think she could call such a stately man adorable, but the odds were currently in her favor. The way he ducked his head away for a moment, trying to hide the flustered expression he could barely suppress. Even now, after just a few days of knowing him, her list was growing.

He turned back to her with a tilted head, ready to cover up for his fumble, but he was cut short. He quickly grabbed her collar, stopping her from walking into a frozen Prompto. The five of them stood still as stone as another sound made the ground shake. It wasn’t another tree falling. A deep growl sounded through the murky woods, resonating through their very bones. She figured it was what had caused the trees to fall. And it was dead ahead.

Gladio glanced back, making sure Noct was behind him and that Ignis was on the same page. Ahead of them was a small passage—their only way forward. The shield motioned for them to follow, and they prepared to crawl through.

Ignis hung back so Ann and Prompto could go safely between everyone, but Ann hung back as well, waving for him to go first. They went back and forth with gestures alone, until Prompto hissed at them to get a move on before one of them was literally killed by kindness. Another deep growl prompted Ann to give in.

Halfway through, Gladio suddenly stopped. Ann raised her hand to stop Ignis, and she kept it up as the source of the growl lowered its massive head into a hole in the tunnel. In short, the behemoth was hideous.

Its body was littered with scars, and the largest one stretching over a silvery eye was a sight to behold. Luckily, they seemed to be in its blind spot. When the beast gave up, it turned away, giving them room to move forward. Ignis lowered her arm to get a better look as it stalked away.

When they emerged out the other end of the tunnel, Deadeye was nowhere to be seen. Not until they journeyed further into the fog did they catch a glimpse of its tail. Ignis instinctively raised his arm to protect the woman behind him, but she simply pushed it away like he had earlier.

He barely had time to sigh and nod before Deadeye spurred into action again. Quietly, they followed it until they reached a dead end. With the behemoth waiting for them.

They summoned their weapons in a collective flash, except for Ignis, who made sure to toss Ann the spear. She nodded in thanks as he began to put together a plan. “Looks like we’re in for a real challenge, fellas,” said Gladio, heaving his massive blade over his shoulder. Deadeye roared in response, digging at the ground with unnervingly long claws.

“Please,” the prince scoffed. “I’ve got this in the bag.”

“Eyes peeled, mouth closed,” said the blond, subtly reminding his royal friend to can it. Ann narrowed her eyes as the beast bared its teeth, still trying to intimidate them. “C’mon, puppy, what’s your move?”

“Perhaps _we_ make the first move,” said Ignis, pointing to the red barrels lying around. “The explosives may be of some use to us.”

“Sounds like a plan, Specs,” said Noctis. “Go for it!”

Finally, the behemoth charged. Ignis imbued a single dagger with fire, and they watched it soar across the battlefield. The moment it struck an explosive barrel, the grove lit up with orange and yellow light, and Deadeye was caught midstride. The smoke cleared, and it was momentarily defenseless. Noctis gave the cue, and they rushed in.

After such an explosion, the beast was considerably weakened. It took but a few heavy hits and teamwork to take him down. Amazingly, the team took minimal damage from the fight. Towards the end, however, the group lost a member.

“Ann, look out!”

It all happened in a matter of seconds. One moment, she felt something tug at her shirt, and next, she was dangling in the air like a kitten being picked up by its mother. The uneasy feeling didn’t last, as she was quickly thrown to the side and sent flying into the bushes. She tumbled and rolled in a tight, defensive ball, hitting plenty of branches on the way. When she finally slowed down, she fell flat on her back with a wavering whine.

After collecting herself, she rose to her feet and looked around. Not only had she lost Ignis’s spear along the way, but her shirt was now dyed a vibrant grass-green. In the distance, she could hear clashes of metal, and she could feel the ground shake from the behemoth’s sheer size. With a groan and a sigh, she started sprinting back towards the fight. She shoved past the bushes she’d been thrown into moments ago, searching diligently for the spear she dropped.

On the other side of the foliage, Deadeye gave his last roar. Gladio’s greatsword had just knocked its remaining horn clean off, and that was the final blow. It fell to the forest floor with a mighty crash, ceasing to move. Prompto punched the air, Noctis high-fived his advisor, and Ann emerged from the bushes. Four pairs of eyes turned to the scratched-up, grass-stained woman in question, but it seemed no one was sure how to ask. She slouched in defeat. “I lost the spear.”

With a small, sympathetic smile, Ignis held up the weapon she was referring to. “This one? You dropped it before you, er… disappeared.”

“Should we ask what happened,” Noctis asked, “or do you just want the potion?”

“Potion.”

The prince chuckled and tossed her the curative, which quickly rid her of her new bruises. With a sigh, she dusted her clothes and joined the others. “So, back to the chocobo post?”

“Yup,” said Prompto. “Gotta let the chocobos know they’re safe and sound.”

“I’m sure they’ll be glad to hear it,” the shield chuckled.

<<O>>

The trip back felt much faster than the trip there, but it was probably because they weren’t following a deadly behemoth. With the beast taken care of, Prompto was overjoyed to tell the caretakers of the post. Wiz, the man in charge, was right where they’d left him. “You did it,” he said, smiling ear to ear. “You took down Deadeye! On behalf of the locals, I give you my heartfelt thanks.”

“So, about the chocobos…?”

“Our birds’re at your disposal,” he said. “You can rent ‘em any time you like.”

“Later, Prompto,” said Gladio. “Iris is waiting.”

“Right, right,” he nodded. He settled for petting them instead, and he practically dragged Ann and Noctis with him. She wondered how it was possible to turn excitement into sheer strength.

Ann was squatting down to play with a wandering chick when she heard a very familiar squawk behind her. She spun around, immediately laying eyes on a fiery orange chocobo hopping on its feet, trying to catch her attention. When she recognized the bird, she lit up. “No way,” she gasped. With one last pat farewell, she left the chick behind to greet the orange chocobo.

The bird was barely able to contain its excitement when Ann extended her hands as if to offer a treat. With a happy shuffle of feet, the bird rested its head in her open hands. “Atta girl,” she cooed.

Beside her, the prince and the gunman were staring, amazed. “Woah, what are you, a chocobo whisperer or something?” Prompto asked.

“Not exactly,” she said. “Guys, meet Quistus.”

“So the person you knew here was... a chocobo?” Gladio asked. “You’ve been here before?”

“No, but she used to live with me,” she explained. “I got a permit and raised her from a chick. When she got big enough, I had to send ‘er back here.”

“I’m surprised she recognized you,” said Ignis.

“She’s really somethin’, ain’t she?” Quistus squawked happily and gave her another nuzzle. Prompto was quick to introduce himself, then Noctis joined in. She greeted them kindly, and the trip was easily prolonged another five minutes.

When Ignis finally encouraged them to part with the bird, Ann and Prompto walked backwards, giving their goodbyes until they were out of sight. Though they didn’t get to ride any chocobos, Prompto seemed satisfied. Ann traded seats with Noctis this time, and they rode off with nothing but a feeling of accomplishment and a bounty of about three thousand gil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't ask me why I felt the need to misspell Quistis. I don't know.


	6. Unofficial Coffee Date

“Gladdy!”

Five heads turned to see a friendly face leaning over the stair rails. “Iris!” Gladio returned. The brunette skipped down the stairs of the Leville lobby and greeted them with a smile. “Look at you guys, holding your own out there,” she said. Her eyes landed on the unfamiliar fifth member of the party, and she grew excited. “Ooh, a new face,” she said. “Where are you from? They’ve been nice to you, right?”

“Yeah, I hitched a ride with them back at Hammerhead.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you! I’m Iris. Iris Amicitia.”

“Ann, at your service.”

“Such a pretty name,” she beamed. Ann thanked her with a grateful smile, and Iris turned to the boys.

“So, you guys are staying here, right?”

“That’s the plan,” Ignis answered.

“Great!” She said, putting her hands together. “Well, you boys have a room upstairs, and Ann, you can share with me.”

“But first, we have some catching up to do,” said Gladio. Iris nodded. “Sure.”

Ann followed them up the stairs, but she soon realized what he meant by "catching up." Gladio and Iris were family, and it was obvious she knew the other three, so Ann decided it wasn't her place to join in their conversation.When they found the boys' room, Ann tapped Iris on the shoulder. "Hey, which room am I using? I’ma call it a night.”

“Already? Well, it’s that one, right next door.”

“Thanks.”

With a nod, Ann opened the door. As soon as the handle clicked, she heard a voice behind her. A tuft of black hair and a pair of eyes were peaking out from the other room. “Do you, uh, need anything? I mean, are you alright?”

“Never better,” she said, offering him an unconvincing smile. To her surprise, he actually bought it, and she figured he had other things on his mind. Iris, however, heard the lie clear as day. Noctis left with a nod, and Iris took his place. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

Ann fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, eager to retreat into the room. “Just tired,” she explained. “Plus, y’all know each other and I wouldn’t impose on-”

“Impose?” Iris abandoned the other doorframe, moving closer to the fidgety woman with every word. Having already settled in to talk, the boys didn’t know what to do as they watched her migrate to the other room. They looked at each other when she disappeared completely.

“Well, we were just gonna catch up on… you know, _what happened_ , so unless -”

“That might be part of it,” Ann told her, lowering her voice. “I mean… it’s probably something I don’t wanna hear.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s… complicated.”

Ann swiped at her nose, her eyes sparkling with unwanted tears. “Oh _no_ ,” Iris gasped, “I’m _so_ sorry, don’t-”

“No, no,” she said, her voice rising drastically in pitch. “It’s not you... gods, I didn’t mean to-... sorry, it’s nothing.”

“Doesn’t sound like nothing,” said Iris. “Would it help to talk it out?”

“I- maybe? I don’t know...”

When she looked up, trying to erase her sudden tears with a trembling hand, she noticed their audience. This time, all four of them were standing in the doorway, concern and cluelessness written all over their faces. She hid a chuckle, but Iris wasn’t laughing. She was already on them like a feral coeurl. “Get out! Are you kidding me right now?!”

The four of them, ho had only wanted to help, were shooed out by an angry Iris, and she nearly slammed the door behind them. Ann laughed a little at the sight, but Iris was dead serious. “Okay,’ she fumed, with her hand lingering on the handle. “Let me deal with them, then we can talk.”

Iris left, and Ann just listened. She dried her last tear and bit her lip as stomping echoed through the hall. A door flew open, and their voices carried through the wall. “Ow! Iris, what the-?!”

She hoped the next room over was empty.

“You idiot!”

“Hey, we were just-!”

“I should slap _all_ of you!”

Their voices eventually died down, nothing more than incoherent mumbles. As she began to let her hair down for another braid, she laughed to herself at the image of four scared men against the wrath of a feisty brunette. She liked Iris already.

<<O>>

When Iris came back, all traces of anger were gone. Ann was lying with her back on the bed, hanging her head upside down over the edge as she tried to free her fingers from her tangled hair. She lifted her chin to watch an upside-down Iris solemnly shut the door. “Alright,” she said. “I gave them a good, long talk.”

“I really didn’t mind-”

“Oh, don’t worry,” she dismissed. “It’s not just you. They’ve had it coming for a while. It’s obvious they only hang out with each other, and not a couple of ladies like ourselves.” She fell onto her bed and gave a long, drawn-out sigh. “And to think... Noct is about to get married...”

“Yeah.”

Iris rolled onto her stomach and held her chin in her hands. “So... I’m all ears,” she said. “If you want.”

Ann rolled into a position similar to hers. “You sure? It’s not much of a first impression.”

“I think it’s a unique first impression,” she grinned. “As long as I get to summon a word vomit of my own later.”

It was obviously a joke, but Ann shrugged nonetheless. “Fair enough.”

It was difficult to find a place to start, but she considered what Iris already knew about the attack on Insomnia, and she began the story. She told the story in great depth, but not the way Iris had expected. She gave no names, she gave no places, only emotions.

She told her how she didn’t even have the chance to say goodbye to either of her parents before having to watch them die gruesome deaths. She told her how she almost gave up. She told her everything she could without giving her secret away. Iris listened with gracious ears.

When she finished, Iris could see a weight being lifted from her shoulders. Even her hair seemed a little less tangled. Ann sighed and stared at the ceiling, and Iris recounted it all.

“Thanks, Iris,” said Ann. “Guess I needed that.”

“Yeah you did,” she said. “Anytime.”

Another moment of silence passed, and Ann buried her hands in her hair. When they got stuck, she pursed her lips and turned her head. “Hey, Iris?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you brush my hair while you, uh... word vomit?”

She rolled over, as eager as ever. “Yes.”

<<O>>

Ann woke up to a second nightmare early the next morning. She had hoped talking with Iris would’ve done something about it, but she realized it was going to take more than that to defeat such an awful memory. Knowing she wouldn’t get any more sleep, she decided to sneak out. She tiptoed to the door and opened it as quietly as possible, trying not to wake Iris. She closed it gently behind her and began to walk down the hall.

When she reached the bottom of the steps, she didn’t have to be sneaky anymore. Neither did Ignis.

“Good morning” was all he had to say to scare the living daylight out of her. She was so lost in thought, he was able to catch her off guard. She yelped, barely muffling the sound in time.

“For gods’ sakes,” she gasped, leaning against the railing. “You again, huh?”

“So it would seem,” he said, mildly amused. “You must be an early riser as well?”

“Only recently,” she said, taking a seat on the other end of the couch.

“And why’s that?”

“Nightmares,” she said simply.

Ignis wasn’t sure how to respond, and the room fell silent. His eyes darted around for something to say. She pursed her lips. Eventually, he came up with something, and he stood up with an outstretched hand. “Allow me to take your mind off it?”

“Absolutely,” she said, without skipping a beat.

With her spirits lifted, she followed Ignis out of the Leville and into the bright, busy streets of Lestallum. Some sort of cheery music met their ears from somewhere far away, and they decided to follow it.

As they made their way for the square, they gave conversation another try. “So, how do you feel about coffee?” Ignis asked her.

“I’m more of a tea person, but I’d never turn it down.”

“Hmm. So, if I were to invite you to the coffee shop around the corner, you wouldn’t be opposed to it?”

“Not in the slightest,” she said.

As they walked, Ignis kept her engaged in some sort of small talk. He wanted to believe he was doing so to be friendly, but he quickly realized it was because of how much he liked her little accent. It was faint, but nearly the polar opposite of his.

While he neatly pronounced every sound, she let some slip away. She cramped her words together, but consistently. She dulled consonants, silenced her “h” sounds, and dropped her “T” sounds altogether. For the remainder of their walk, he tried to identify her unique pattern of speech, but failed with every new sentence she spoke.

It was obvious neither of them had been to Lestallum before, but thanks to Ignis's keen observations and navigational skills, they found the coffee shop. Ann was amazed at how easily he was able to find it, and he decided not to tell her about the large sign they had passed.

After claiming one of the outdoor tables, they walked inside. It was a sweet, small, chattery place. The windows were tall and clean, and the smell of coffee was nearly overwhelming. Ignis pointed out to her that they did, in fact, have tea, and she eagerly asked for something he’d never heard of before.

“Pardon my asking, but does that say tea _and_ coffee grounds?” he asked, squinting at the chalkboard menu.

“Dirty chai tea,” she told him. “Or, as I like to call it... cofftea. Honestly, I’m surprised they even have it around here. You could find this at every street corner back home.”

When their drinks were ready, they sat down at an outdoor table. But not before Ignis pulled her seat out for her, of course. She took a very happy first sip, then peered into Ignis’s cup as he hung his jacket on the back of his chair. “Didn’t think of you as a sweet type,” she stated, catching her reflection in the pale coffee. “I’m not,” he sighed. When he finally took a sip, he recoiled from the cup with a sour look on his face. She stifled a chuckle at the display. “Then why drink it?”

“Noct refuses to drink his coffee unless it looks like this,” he explained, tipping his cup to show her. “Every now and then I try to find the appeal, but I end up regretting it every time.”

“Nice,” she chuckled. “Still, that’s pretty sweet, y’know.”

“I like to when I can,” he said. “Even if his preferences seem childish at times.”

Ann grinned when she recalled that he liked to sleep a lot. She’d already seen that, and it had only been a few days. She also remembered when he gave her his vegetables in Hammerhead. “How old is he, anyway? Twenty, right?”

“He just turned twenty-one.”

“Ah,” she nodded. “And let me guess… you are… twenty-six?”

“Twenty-two,” he corrected.

She was honestly a little shocked. He didn’t seem that young at all. Sure, it was only a four-year difference, but it made her think twice. She realized that if he took his glasses off, let his hair down, and maybe wore something a little more casual, he might actually look his age. She took a moment to imagine that before voicing her surprise. “Wow, really?”

“Indeed, and I will be for a while,” he said. “If you don’t mind me asking, what about you?”

“How old am I? I’ll be twenty-four in a few weeks.”

He seemed as shocked as she was. “I suppose I was wrong in assuming I was older than you,” he said.

“Well, ya sure act like you are,” she said. She leaned in to study him again, and he raised an eyebrow. “I’m trying to figure out what would make you look more your age,” she explained.

“This might help,” he said, reaching for his glasses. Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she realized he was going to take them off. She wondered to herself for a moment; had she ever seen him without glasses? Sure, she’d seen him at the Citadel, turning a corner as she switched posts, but never up close like this. It almost wasn’t fair; rolled-up sleeves _and_ no glasses? She mentally scoffed, wondering who gave him the right.

The glasses collapsed into his hand, snapping her out of her little flustered panic, and he blinked, adjusting to slightly blurry vision. She could’ve sworn the clouds parted and left him in a ray of sunlight. She rested her chin in her hand, trying to hide her flushed cheeks and stupid grin.

“Well?”

“Not bad.”

“Does that mean...?”

“Oh, y-yeah, yeah, it’s a significant difference.”

Satisfied, he put his glasses back on, and she watched him transition back to a courtly gentleman. With or without his glasses, she found him far too handsome for his own good. It was becoming a serious problem—a problem she didn’t mind having.

“I’m glad I got to meet you,” she stated.

He looked up, his green eyes widening. He stalled for a moment, wondering if she hadn’t meant to say that out loud, but she portrayed not an ounce of regret. “Pardon?”

“You seem like a nice guy,” she shrugged, taking another sip. “Kindness is hard to come by sometimes, so I try not to take it for granted.”

His expression softened, and she smiled politely in response. “That’s an honorable notion,” he said. “I’m curious how high your standards are.”

“However high they have to be to get me through the day, I guess. ‘Specially back home.”

“Especially… as in high or low?”

“Usually low. Had to learn that little lesson pretty young.”

He nodded, setting his cup aside. “I’ve been meaning to ask you about that.” He now had her full attention, and a nagging voice in her mind told her to tread carefully. Was he talking about her being a Crownsguard? Did he finally recognize her? “What do you mean?”

“I’ve been trying to identify your accent, and I have to know. Where are you from?”

The load fell from her shoulders, and she gave a mental sigh of relief. She took another drink of her tea, resting an elbow on the table.

“The slums,” she said simply. “The ghetto. The streets, if you will.” She was twirling her hand, playing with words at this point, but she was shocked to see pure intrigue in his eyes.

“You are?”

She ducked her head to tug at her hair. “Yeah. Long story short, mom didn’t have it so good, and she was afraid it would get worse if my dad found out about me. She was wrong, of course, but we didn’t know that until I was nine.”

“Interesting…”

“Did that place my _accent_ for ya?”

“I suppose it should have,” he said, “but I can’t say I’ve ever visited that part of the city, let alone known someone who once lived there.”

“Well, I’d assume that was the case for a royal advisor.”

“Indeed,” he hummed.

She picked up on his change in posture and his thoughtful tone, and a sly grin spread across her face. “Whaaat, is the hand of the king curious about my side of town?”

His head snapped up, and she couldn’t say she’d seen him at a loss for words before. “Well, perhaps a tad curious, but… I wasn’t sure if you’d be willing to talk about it.”

“I’m not gonna cry again, if that’s what you’re asking.”

He looked so uncomfortable, she could’ve laughed. Even the stone-faced Mr. Scientia lost his composure sometimes? Who knew? He cleared his throat, ready to change the subject. “I was simply-”

“We had chocobo coops.”

He shut his mouth, a dozen questions in his eyes.

“So far away from the Citadel, permits were… easier to come by. And the busted streets were perfect for bike tricks… as long as you avoided the broken bottles. And the house next door was rusted and overgrown, so that was our hideout. I would always use the old iron rods as swords, or the vines as a climbing wall.”

She paused for a sip. Across the table, Ignis waited intently for her to continue. So, she told him all she could remember. She told him stories about setting things on fire, getting lost under dead streetlamps, and turning junk into instruments.

The only time he interrupted her was when he absent-mindedly took another sip of his coffee, having forgotten how sweet it was. His face twisted as he muttered the word “poison” into his pale drink. She stood up and tapped his arm. “Just toss it,” she chuckled. “C’mon, I’ll tell you more while we walk.”

<<O>>

They were on the first few steps in front of the Leville when they heard Prompto’s frantic voice.

“They ran off!” he cried. “I knew this would happen, but not so _soon_ …”

They looked at each other worriedly and stepped inside to find him pacing around the couches. It seemed he was talking to Gladio, who was just walking down the stairs.

“What’s wrong?” Ann asked. When he looked up and saw them, he was instantly relieved. “False alarm,” he sighed.

“Where were you two?” Gladio asked, with a sly grin. “Spending some quality time together?”

“That’s cute,” she scoffed. She turned to Ignis and nudged his arm. “Be right back.”

With that, she walked away and disappeared up the stairs. Prompto watched her leave, a little speechless, and Gladio whistled. “Damn,” he said. “Can’t tell if that was oblivious or just stupid.”

“That’s rude,” Ignis scolded, adjusting his glasses. Gladio noticed he wouldn’t make eye contact and his grin grew bigger.

"Aw, someone’s got the hots for our new friend, huh?” Prompto taunted, seeing the signs as well. “About time, too,” said Gladio.

“And that’s _inappropriate_ ,” he said.

“What makes you think that?”

“We’ve only just met her,” he explained. “And she’ll most likely be parting with our company today anyway.”

“We can change that, easily,” said Prompto. “While you were out, Talcott told us about what might be another tomb. There’s a waterfall and a cave and everything. We could totally invite her with us.”

Ignis was slightly taken aback by the amount of scheming they were trying to hide, as if they had just come up with this—as if they weren’t already planning on inviting her along.

“Honestly, she’s really nice,” said Prompto, earnestly. “I’d ask her to stay even if you didn’t have a crush.”

Ignis opened his mouth to deny Prompto’s claim, but he was stopped by a faint shout from upstairs. It sounded like Ann, Ignis realized, and the three of them rushed up the stairs. When they reached the top, they saw the prince standing outside Ann’s door. He looked so embarrassed; it was almost funny.

“In my defense, she didn’t lock the door,” he mumbled, folding his arms. Gladio chuckled when he realized what happened, and they heard her muffled voice from inside. “I don’t know what Iris’s little talk was about last night, but she might need to give y’all another one.”

Prompto shuddered at the idea, and Noctis looked up at the door. “You heard that?”

“No, she told me afterwards,” she said, opening the door and finishing her braid. “Sounded intense.”

After she had cleaned her room of her only possession: herself, she joined them downstairs to greet Talcott and Jared. She had met the young boy the night before and she already liked him.

“So, there’s this legend about a sword,” Talcott explained. “And the sword’s supposed to be behind a waterfall nearby.”

“It may well be one of the lost tombs,” Ignis reiterated.

“Sounds legit,” said Ann.

“Got it,” Noctis nodded. “Thanks for the tip, Talcott.”

“You’re welcome!”

They were ready to go on the spot, but Ann didn’t exactly know what to do. That was when Prompto initiated his carefully-thought-out plan. “Ann, you could totally come too,” he said hopefully. “Y’know, if you want to. Could be fun, right?”

“I-”

“You could borrow a weapon again,” said Noct, unaware of the plan, but eager to invite her. “We’ve got extra potions too, I’m sure.”

Ann was hesitant, but at the same time, no one had ever been eager for her company before. Not even those she would’ve called her friends in all her years of living in Insomnia. Yet here they were, the four of them, awaiting her answer. She was honestly grateful.

Her tongue was caught, so she simply nodded. Noctis smiled and Prompto celebrated her answer. “Yes!” Gladio gave her a pat on the shoulder, and she smiled both nervously and gratefully at their response. “Let’s be off, then,” said Ignis. “It’s still a bit of a drive.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When will I stop giving away my plot with my chapter titles? Never??


	7. The First Rite

When they arrived at the waterfall, it wasn’t at all what they had expected. As soon as they approached the entrance behind the water, the temperature dropped, making them all rub their arms and wish for their coats. The further they descended into the cave, the colder it became. Soon, everything was covered in ice.

It was also extremely dark, and that proved to be a problem, seeing as how Ann didn’t have her own flashlight. No one was surprised to find that her preferred partner was, in fact, Ignis. Even after he insisted she take his jacket. She refused at first, but her lack of sleeves finally persuaded her. They didn’t see daemons right away, but when they descended far enough, they came in hordes. Ignis tossed Ann a weapon and they set to work.

Ann had a chance to improve her teamwork skills, and Prompto spent a little too much time documenting their first real quest with her. Not only was it their first quest together, but Prompto found it hilarious and worthy of a dozen photos when Gladio noticed her shivering and gave her his jacket too. She scowled at the camera beneath two, very heavy leather jackets.

Between battles, they descended further and further, either on purpose or on accident. There was some sort of icy slope after every turn, and if someone slipped and fell, the rest of them had no choice but to follow.

A few hours passed, and they finally found the tomb. They were all freezing, tired, and eager to leave, but they waited patiently for Noctis to unlock the door and step inside.

Ann was amazed by the display. She nearly jumped when the mystical weapon floated upward and flew towards him. She watched, impressed and fascinated, as it was added to his arsenal.

It was a tiring endeavor to find their way back out, now free of daemons, but just as slippery. Then, compared to the cold confines of the cavern, the sunlight was quite literally a gift from the heavens. Prompto sprawled out in the grass, basking in as much warmth as he could, and Ann struggled to shrug out of two jackets.

Noctis took the liberty to help her, after laughing at her, of course, but they didn’t get one arm free before he staggered back, holding his forehead. She spun around, confused and concerned. “Highness?”

The moment his knees buckled, the four of them were by his side. “Noct, you okay?” Prompto asked, supporting him with a steady arm. The prince buried his head any way he could, as if he could escape the pain that way. Ignis wondered aloud if it was some sort of headache, and Gladio hoisted him to his feet. Finally, Noctis let go of his head, standing on steady legs. He looked down at his hands, confused. “What did I…? Where _was_ that?”

“What is it?” Gladio asked.

“A hole in the ground… something burning… the Meteor?”

“You saw the Disc of Cauthess?” Ignis asked.

Upon hearing the name, Ann was taken back to the conversation she’d had with Lunafreya during their brief encounter. It suddenly clicked. “She’s done it,” she said, almost to herself. They all turned to her, asking “what” and “who.”

“Lunafreya,” she said. “She told me that’s where she was headed. She’s there to wake the Archaean. Highness, I think he’s calling on you to finish whatever she started.”

“That would explain what I saw,” he said. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

<<O>>

By the time they arrived back at the Leville, Noctis had experienced three more headaches. They made sure to tell Talcott that the adventure was a success before working out what to do next.

“We’d better go to the Disc,” said Prompto. “We can check out the telescope thingies on our way down.”

“It’s a start,” said Ignis. “In that case, we’d best leave right away.”

“No arguing here,” said Noct.

“You guys be careful,” Iris reminded them. “Ann, watch out for them, alright?”

“I’ll try my best.”

Iris shooed them off to go fix the problem, and the five of them hurried down to the outlook. As they walked down the steps, Prompto tapped Ann on the shoulder. “Ann, when this is over, I wanna get a shot of you by the meteor.”

“Why not all of us?” she asked.

“Well, I’ve taken so many pictures of the four of us, or all of us in action, I was hoping to get a nice one of you.”

“Aw, Prompto,” she smiled. “That’s really sweet.”

“And, of course, we could get a group shot too,” he added.

“That sounds fantastic,” she said. “Tell me when ya find the right spot.”

He agreed excitedly and they kept walking. After she turned away, Prompto looked back at Ignis with the most suggestive look on his face. Ignis was almost taken aback by it.

He nodded towards Ann with his head, then with his eyes. Ignis realized he was scheming again, but he had no idea what he was trying to say. All he knew was that he wasn’t going to do it, so he shook his head.

Prompto nodded again, clicking the button on an invisible camera. When he locked his hands together and held them to his cheek, Ignis shook his head sternly, saying “no” with his eyes alone. Prompto was about to silently argue back, but he bumped into Noctis. Before them stood a mysterious, oddly-dressed stranger.

The boys seemed to recognize him, but Ann was utterly clueless as to who this stranger was. The red sheen to his unruly hair was her first tip, and she didn’t believe for a second that it was natural.

“What a coincidence…” the man grinned, turning away from the edge. When the stranger saw Ann, his eyes narrowed in a mischievous manner, and she began to question who this guy really was.

“I’m not so sure it is,” Gladio said. The man ignored him and continued with his lines. “Aren’t nursery rhymes curious things?” He asked, swaying his arm for dramatic affect. “Like this one: From the deep, the Archean calls... yet on deaf ears, the god’s tongue falls. The King made to kneel, in pain, he crawls...”

“So, how do we keep him on his feet?” Prompto asked.

“You need only heed the call,” he said, beginning to walk away. “Visit the Archean and hear his plea. I can take you.” With that, he spun around and gestured to the disc in the distance.

 _And scene_ , she thought.

“I don’t know...” said Ignis, who was still trying to read any hidden intentions. Prompto, not as hesitant as the advisor, said, “We take a ride-”

“-But watch our backs,” Gladio finished.

“Let’s do it,” Noctis nodded.

Ignis hesitantly agreed, and they followed the stranger to the car park. Ann learned early on that their new acquaintance wasn’t all talk. She could tell by a certain look in his eye that he was helping them for a reason he didn’t care to share.

“So, you four have gained a new friend since I saw you last,” he noted, gesturing to Ann. She narrowed her eyes and wondered if she should return the mysteriousness.

“May I ask your name, my fair lady?” he asked. His tone made her want to lie just out of spite. “Ann,” she said. “And yours?”

“You may call me Ardyn,” he smiled.

“Are we s’pposed to know you?” she asked him. He simply responded with, “in due time.”

When they found his car, he turned around and watched them get into the Regalia. The prince was taking the wheel, and Ignis was holding the back door open for Ann. “Oh, do wait,” he said, “It looks so cramped in that car of yours… why not share the load? I have plenty of space; the lady doesn’t need to be forced into such an uncomfortable situation.”

Ann had never sat down so fast. In a blink, she was in the far seat of the back, and Prompto wasn’t far behind, sitting in the middle to block her off. Ignis wanted so badly to comment on the irony of his proposition, but instead, he closed the door to add to the barrier between them.

“Mm, we’ll be just fine,” said Gladio. “We wouldn’t wanna _intrude_.”

“Very well,” Ardyn chuckled. “Just don’t be too slow.”

Following Ardyn, Noctis drove them out of the city and through the winding roads towards the Disc. No one really spoke on the way. The awkwardness of Ardyn’s proposition was still fresh in their minds.

To break the silence, the prince reached forward to turn on music. As soon as the first note played, he immediately received three annoyed reactions. Ann watched as the four of them fought over a techno song that Noctis apparently liked to play on repeat, and she laughed a little.

Gladio finally won control over the radio and turned it off. Noctis pouted and mumbled about having to drive, Prompto sat back down, and Ignis went back to watching the road.

When they arrived at the gates, Ardyn pulled over. They were argumentative at first, but he delivered. The gates opened at his word, and they slowly drove through. Ann watched his car disappear and thanked the Six that he wasn’t going with them.

It wasn’t long before Ann realized why she never saw Noctis in the driver’s seat. They were on a long and bumpy road, probably not made for cars, and not once did he slow down to see what was around the bend. While she latched onto the side of the car, Prompto hung onto her other arm for dear life. Whether it was out of fear, or to keep her from flying away, she didn’t know.

She was relieved when they reached the end and put the car in park, and it looked like she wasn’t the only one.

The road ahead was promising, but the wind blowing from below became hotter and hotter as they descended. After more than enough walking, they stumbled upon something they didn’t think they’d find. Ahead of them laid another royal arm. It was out on an overhang opening into the crater.

“Might as well, right?” Gladio shrugged. Noctis nodded and casually walked forward. “We’ll grab it and go.”

Noctis added the weapon to his and he was ready to go. He took less than three steps before stumbling forward, holding his head in his hands and doubling over in pain. “Noct! Are you-?”

Prompto tried to run to his side, but the ground had begun to shake. Massive tremors rocked the ground, and the rest of them were nearly thrown off their feet. “Careful!” Ignis shouted, getting low to the ground.

At the end of the overhang, the ground was beginning to crumble. The prince seemed aware, but he was too close to escape in time. All it took was one stone to come loose, and he disappeared off the edge. “Noct!” Gladio wasn’t far behind. In a matter of seconds, he leapt over the edge and dropped down after him. That left Ann, Prompto, and Ignis to scramble for safety.

Ann and Prompto lost their footing next, as the ground crumbled further and further up. Prompto screamed, Ann looked down with wide eyes, but they were saved by strong, gloved hands.

“Hang on!” Ignis lurched forward, barely able to support two people, and one last chunk of earth disappeared. Soon, they were each hanging by an arm, trying to find their footing on a hill too steep to climb.

Ignis demanded through clenched teeth that they stopped moving, but Prompto was too scared to hear him. The blonde found a steady stone and kicked up, sending himself up and over the edge. Ignis lurched further over the edge, but Prompto was quick to grab his shirt and help pull. Ann tried to reach the rock Prompto found, but it came loose with a single tug.

“Ignis, I’m about to drag you down,” she said, unable to mask her frantic tone. “We’ll both fall if you don’t let go!”

“I’m not letting go! Prompto, reach for her other hand!”

Prompto was there in an instant, but without someone to keep Ignis from falling, she sunk further from his reach. She could feel it—that final lurch before they both fell. She couldn’t let him fall with her, but she didn’t know if she had the guts to willingly let go of his hand.

She quickly realized she wouldn’t have to. He seemed to lose his grip in slow motion, and her stomach twisted at the brief feeling of weightlessness. She caught a glance of their helpless eyes before sliding down the steep hill and disappearing from their sight.

<<O>>

After sliding down the side of the crater, Ann had no motivation whatsoever to get up from her spot on the ground. The ground she was sprawled out on was hot, but it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. Luckily, the hill and her impromptu landing zone were mainly mud and dirt, so she wasn’t as scratched up as she was dirty.

Aside from being sore and mud-stained, she was faced with a new set of problems. The reason why the ground had crumbled in the first place was because the Archaean had emerged from his place beneath the Meteor. He had been somewhat calm until recently, but now he was attacking the side of the crater.

She had to move. She had to get up before a stray boulder crushed her or the ground erupted beneath her. She was already dangerously low, seeing as how she had to look up to see the Archaean. She slowly rose to her feet, wincing and whining about a massive bruise in her leg. After scanning the area, she found a path that looked like it would take her back up. She dusted herself off, then began her upward journey. It was a very short-lived journey.

Not ten minutes later, she found herself in a rectangular shadow. Above her head, an imperial ship was preparing to drop MTs on her path. There was no backing out now. She needed her weapon. As she found shelter behind a boulder, she figured no one would see her bow if she wrapped this up quickly.

As the MTs approached, she closed her eyes and opened her hand. When she felt a familiar weight in her hand, she smiled. There was her bow, summoned without a hitch. She wondered how much Luna’s enhancement really helped.

After that, it was easy to pick a fight. Her opponents had guns, but she had cover. Their aim was terrible, but hers was excellent. She picked them out one by one, enjoying their game of elimination. Only when they came up with another plan did she start having trouble.

They split up and surrounded her, severely limiting her options. She was forced to go on the move as she defended against their close-range and long-range weapons. The battle grew intense enough to distract her from the Archaean completely. 

She was almost through with them. She fired arrow after arrow, one after the other and back again, until there were two enemies left. She killed the second one, but the last one died by a sword. There was a flash of blue, then a figure standing over a dead MT, yanking his sword from its chest.

In a matter of seconds, Ann’s disguise had shattered like glass, her lies exposed. She stood frozen with her bow in hand, and Noct didn't know what to say. He only looked at the weapon he had watched her summon. “You... you’re a...?”

A wave of guilt and shame rushed over her, and his reaction was of pure, unreadable shock. She had kept this from him. She, who swore her service and loyalty to him. He had every right to know who she was, but she had kept it a secret. All for her own selfish gain. Did she really think she could walk away from her struggle so easily? Did she really think she could have a new start? Did she really think-

“I _knew_ it!”

Three words snapped her back to reality. The prince was anything but disappointed. “I did, I knew it! Man, we gotta show the guys…”

“You… you’re not upset?”

“Uh, maybe a little confused, but I don’t see a problem,” he said. “Besides, Gladio owes me big time. ‘Til then, we should probably do something about… that.”

The two of them looked up at the towering Astral. She nodded. There was no time to process his reaction. Her world couldn’t be turned upside down in the middle of a rite with the Archaean. Swallowing her words, she stood by her prince’s side—bow at the ready.

The situation went south faster than she could prepare for it. The Archaean began attacking Noctis again, leaving her offer background support where she could. There wasn’t much she could to until more imperials dropped in. Luckily, they had reinforcements of their own.

Gladio’s reaction was the best by far. While Prompto gaped and Ignis looked intrigued, the shield made a sound between a laugh and a scoff, looking as if he’d just lost a bet. At this point, she was nearly certain that was the case.

Once the imperials were taken care of, all that was left was the Archaean. The Astral had grown angry during his battle with Noctis, and his swings were growing wider. His roar made the ground tremble. Magma spewed from cracks in the ground, shrinking their battlefield. They were running out of options.

Finally, after another unbelievable parry from the prince, Ignis dismissed his daggers and called out to the rest of them. “I have a plan! Blizzara, on my mark!”

“Got it!”

Ignis, Prompto, and Gladio each pulled out an ice spell, and Ann quickly stepped back. The circular flasks soared through the air, each of them striking the left arm of the Archaean. The explosions of ice and mist clouded their vision, but when the air cleared, the giant arm was completely frozen. With one final cry, the prince warped above the frozen appendage and drove his sword into it, shattering it into a million pieces.

The Archaean fell, finally withdrawing from the fight and causing the greatest tremor yet. Once everyone was back on their feet, there was a collective sigh of relief. “Hey,” said Noctis. “We all still here?”

Before anyone could answer, a sharp breeze picked up, attacking them from above. A single imperial ship was descending. Ann could’ve sworn the prince groaned in annoyance. She shielded herself from the wind, but the ship never landed. Instead, the hanger door opened, revealing a familiar stranger.

Their escort, Ardyn, stood front and center and waved to them. “Fancy meeting you here,” he said. With a flourish of his hand, he continued. “It occurs to me I never properly introduced myself. Izunia. Ardyn Izunia.”

“Imperial chancellor Izunia?” Ignis asked.

“At your service,” he bowed. “And more importantly, to your aid. I can guarantee your safe passage. Though you’re always welcome to take your chances down there, buried among the rubble.”

While they knew it was some sort of plan that led their escort to them, the crater wouldn’t allow them to take any other course of action.

“Dying here is not an option,” said Ignis. “We have no choice, Noct.”

The prince glanced around at the other four, their surroundings, then the ship. Finally, he nodded. “I know.”


End file.
